Former Democrat: No Vote for Biden
As a walk-away Democrat, I’d like to share my thoughts on the upcoming election, and respond to a recent letter by Mr. Bob Russo (”Former Republican: Don’t vote for Trump,” Sept. 10 My Turn).
I’ve always thought of our presidents as people to look up to to. Strong men of integrity, strength and wisdom. That all ended for me with the Obama-Biden administration. A foreign policy built on appeasement not strength. Literally and figuratively bowing down to other world leaders instead of looking them right in the eye and standing up for America’s best interest. The idea that globalization was better for America than American nationalism.
Mr. Russo asserted that because The Washington Post says President Donald Trump’s posts are lies, that is enough to disqualify him from the presidency. While President Trump has tweeted some things even his most ardent supporters wished he would have worded differently, it is his, and every American’s right to do so. I read many things I don’t agree with but I will always stand up for the right to express our beliefs. Just because we disagree, that does not give anyone the right to call our assertions lies.
The Republican Party has never been stronger in support of all Americans. We absolutely do not encourage racism. We encourage people of all ethnic, religious or socioeconomic backgrounds to join us and be treated as an equal.
President Trump did indeed build the best economy we have ever had. Trump has lifted 7 million out of poverty. Created 8 million new jobs. Lowest unemployment rate among Black and Hispanic citizens ever. A 3.5 percent GDP. Over $4,000 in household income increase in four years and so much more. In contrast, Obama-Biden gave us 8 million more in poverty in 8 years. Millions unemployed. A stagnant economy with 1.5 percent growth in GDP. A net increase in household income of just over $1,000 in eight years.
Mr. Russo, you are calling for a transformative approach. We have had one for nearly four years and look what happened. Ending endless wars. Rebuilding our military. Middle East peace accords. Merit-based immigration, with more secure borders. Lower taxes, less government with more transparency. These are all positive things brought about by President Trump. We are on a great course; there is no need to change it.
In closing, a few thoughts on voting this year. We voted through both world wars. We voted through H1N1 (swine flu), where 8 million of us were affected during Obama’s term. If you can stand in line for 45 minutes for toilet paper, you can stand in line to do your patriotic duty.
Voting by mail will allow irregularities in voting. What will determine who wins is how much the mail-in ballots are tampered with. The Taos Republican Party encourages early, in-person voting. Early voting started Oct. 6 at the Taos County Courthouse complex. See you there. Vote for America and let freedom ring!
Gary Kreutzer lives in Taos. He is chairman of the Taos County Republican Party.
Editor’s note: Several sources disagree with Mr. Kreutzer’s analysis of President Trump’s economic performance. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate fell from a high of 10 percent the year Obama took office, during the 2008 recession, to 4.9 percent the year he left and the rate continued to fall under President Trump until mid-2020. Likewise, civilian jobs, seasonally adjusted, climbed steadily from 2009 to mid-2020 under both presidents, according to BLS. The Cato Institute, The Washington Post, the BBC and others have given mixed ratings of the Trump administration’s policies on the economy overall.